Solo Leveling: Ragnarok

Chapter 45

“Alone Level Up: Ragnarok Episode 45”

“Wait a moment!”

E-sil urgently called out to Soo-ho.

“Aren’t you going to go in right now?”

“I am going in right away.”

“You’re making a big fuss!”

E-sil pointed to the red sand pouring down from the Red Gate like an avalanche, her expression serious.

“Don’t you feel the heat right now? If you go in with just your body, you could end up with burns all over and suffocate from the heat!”

Indeed, even approaching the red sand was enough to feel the scorching heat.

In other words, it meant that it was dangerous to go in without any countermeasures.

But then.

“Shop.”

Soo-ho opened the shop window and selected an item.

Ding.

[You have purchased the item ‘Necklace of the Immortal God’.]

[Item: Necklace of the Immortal God]

Acquisition Difficulty: D-rank

Type: Accessory

A necklace imbued with the protection of the Immortal God.

Wearing it around your neck will protect you from heat.

Soo-ho nonchalantly put the suspicious-looking necklace around his neck.

Ding.

[You have equipped the item ‘Necklace of the Immortal God’.]

Swoosh.

The necklace around Soo-ho’s neck gradually turned transparent and disappeared, and at the same time, he suddenly felt refreshed.

The external heat was blocked.

“Huh.”

E-sil, who was scolding Soo-ho, looked baffled at the sight.

‘It works well?’

Soo-ho wore a satisfied expression and decided to purchase another necklace to give to E-sil as well.

“Here.”

“Oh! What?”

E-sil clumsily received the necklace that was handed to her.

And she looked surprised at the mysterious energy she felt from the necklace.

“The protection of the Immortal God? Where did you get this treasure again?”

“Treasure?”

“Yes, treasure! Items with such blessings are not easily found in the outside world. It seems to be an item from a tribe that perished during the Sovereign War… Hm.”

Esil, curious about the necklace of the Fire Spirit, looked around and casually put it on her neck.

Then she felt her body refreshing and opened her eyes wide.

“Wow, this would be great to wear all the time. At least I won’t get burned… cough.”

Esil, who had been emphasizing the danger but now felt embarrassed.

“Well, it’s still dangerous! Alright, since I received such a good gift for once, I’ll teach you something good too.”

“Something good?”

Esil raised her hand to soothe the doubtful guardian.

“It’s a technique to use magic at times like this.”

Suaaah.

Then a transparent energy started to spread from Esil’s hand.

“Like this.”

Esil covered her face with the energy as if putting on a mask.

Esil covered her face with the energy as if putting on a mask.

“It’s like putting a thin protective barrier on your face. This way, sand particles won’t get into your eyes or mouth. You can also use it underwater.”

“Oh?”

The guardian’s eyes sparkled at the unexpected useful tip.

He had been looking for a helmet-like item in the shop window, but now he didn’t need it anymore.

“Of course, it might be difficult at first. The key is to keep the barrier as thin as possible, so it requires precise control of magic. I’ll show you a few more times…”

“Oh? It’s okay.”

“Okay then.”

Suaaah.

Esil made a slightly disappointed expression as she watched the guardian perfectly mimic her technique.

“Well, that’s how you do it. Thin and good…”

It was an extremely perfect control of magic.

“I took several years to make it that thin.”

She felt a bit bitter.

At that moment, Berg abruptly interrupted.

[Keheum.]

He pushed his face close and snorted with disdain.

“You’re easily startled. Our little lord has always been an extraordinary person. Instead of taking baby steps, he walked on the sky when he was a baby.”

“I didn’t ask.”

“Don’t you know that? He learned Hangul at the age of 5, addition and subtraction at 6…”

“No, I didn’t ask. You brat.”

And that was an average speed.

***

After all the preparations were done, Suho and Esil climbed onto Arachne’s back together.

Luckily, Ahrachne’s hard carapace felt like armor, making the sensation of riding on her back quite bearable.

“Alright, let’s go!”

[Screech!]

Ahrachne obeyed Suho’s command and started to ascend through the sand, plowing through the sandfall with her massive pincers.

Chop chop chop chop chop chop!

However, the method was quite remarkable.

First, she pushed the sand aside with her huge pincers, and at the same time, she sprayed sticky black spider silk from her body to solidify the scattered sand particles.

As a result, the sand formed a tunnel that Ahrachne could move through.

Of course, due to the continuous sandfall from above, the tunnel collapsed quickly, but it held long enough for Ahrachne to move her body through.

Suho was amazed by the technique.

“Wow, she’s really like a real bug!”

[Of course, because she is a bug.]

Berth, who spoke on behalf of Ahrachne, replied.

[Screeeech!]

Chop chop chop chop chop chop!

Ahrachne continued to ascend the sandfall smoothly, carrying Suho and Esil on her back.

Berth stood proudly with her arms crossed on Ahrachne’s abdomen, giving directions.

“Forward, my spider vessel!”

Lately, Berth had been fascinated by historical dramas about Admiral Yi Sun-sin.

***

They continued to dig and swim through the sand, enveloped in darkness where not a single speck of light could be seen.

But Suho had a plan.

“We have to keep going up no matter what!”

[Screech screech!]

Following Suho’s command, Ahrachne immediately started digging vertically upwards through the sand.

And then it happened.

Chills ran down Suho’s spine.

“What’s that?”

In an instant, Suho’s heightened senses sent a powerful warning.

Without hesitation, Suho shouted urgently.

“Dodge to the side!”

[Screech screech!]

Following Suho’s command, Ahrachne immediately changed direction.

Thud!

The wall of the tunnel they were just in exploded suddenly, and from within, something huge sprang out.

It was like a subway train running on underground tracks.

Swoosh swoosh swoosh swoosh swoosh swoosh!

A gigantic, thick, and long object passed by them at an incredible speed.

The endless red desert spread out before them.

“It’s a real desert.”

“I would have died of heatstroke if I didn’t have this amulet.”

They couldn’t let their guard down, as a massive sand pillar suddenly shot up from behind them.

[Growl?!]

Arachne was pushed back by the intense pressure and fell backwards.

The guardian and Eshel, who were riding on top of her, also fell to the ground.

Rolling on the ground for a few rounds, they barely regained their balance on the sand and looked ahead with wide eyes.

Shooaaak!

“Kyeeee!”

Sand scorpions emerged from the sand, piercing through it.

[Toxic Fang Sand Scorpion]

The grotesque and repulsive creature appeared in front of them.

And at that moment, the guardian hesitated as soon as he saw it.

Two fangs the size of a child’s under the sand scorpion’s massive head.

Just by looking at it, one could easily imagine what would happen if they were stung.

As the creature’s large fangs opened and closed incessantly, it seemed as if…

“It, it seems to have regained its appetite?”

Eshel’s words were undoubtedly correct.

The sand scorpion immediately opened its mouth and kicked up sand as it charged towards them.

Ssossossossos-!

Kyeeee!

“Run!”

Eshel and the guardian both shouted at the same time, turning their backs and sprinting across the desert.

Fwhoaak!

The giant scorpion created waves of sand as it chased after them.

Eshel, who had been running hastily, clenched his lips tightly and had an angry expression.

‘If only I had all my power…!’

His pride was hurt.

As a demon noble, he couldn’t stand being threatened by such a dumb beast with just size on its side.

But the past was the past.

Now was not the time to assert his feeble pride.

“With our current strength, we can never contend with that monster! We need to retreat to the Shadow World for now!”

Eshel urgently turned to the guardian and shouted.

“Guardian! Retreat… wait?”

Thump!

As he turned back, he saw that the guardian had suddenly grown in size and was delivering an uppercut to the sand scorpion’s jaw.

[Skill: Giant’s Armor activated.]

In the blink of an eye, the guardian broke the rune stone and learned a new skill.

Using that skill, he doubled in size and engaged in hand-to-hand combat with the giant sand scorpion.

Thud! Punch!

He alternately slammed his strengthened fists into the face of the scorpion, then wrapped his thick arms around its neck, squeezing tightly.

Kyeeek!

The scorpion writhed and twisted its long body around the guardian as if it was in agony.

It was truly a clash of strength and power.

“My my, our liege’s power…”

Ver, who was about to interject, stopped himself in amazement.

Shwoosh!

Suddenly, another sand pillar shot up in front of them.

“Oh no.”

Eshel’s expression hardened.

This time, it wasn’t just one or two.

Shwoosh!

Shwoosh!

Seven sand scorpions emerged from the sand, surrounding them.

However, despite being surrounded, the guardian remained unfazed.

His expressionless gaze swept over each of them.

“Guardian…”

Eshel swallowed a dry gulp at the overwhelming force exuded by the guardian.

“How much have you grown…”

Nod.

The guardian nodded with a refreshing smile as he turned his body.

“Shall we just charge through them then?”

“… ”